Apparatus for folding corrugated cardboard shields for packing cases



May 13, 1958 E. E. CRIST APPARATUS FOR FOLDING CORRUGATED CARDBOARDSHIELDS FOR PACKING CASES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 4, 1955 EA RL E.02/57 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY May 13, 1958 Filed Nov. 4, 1955 CRIST 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 141714 I12 4 W6 I?- g x I3 EARL EUR/5T INVENTOR' ATTORNEY APPARATUS FORFOLDING CORRUGATED CARD- BOARD SHIELDS FOR PACKING CASES Earl E. Crist,Decatur, Ill.

Application November 4, 1955, Serial No. 544,883

4 Claims. (Cl. 93-84) This invention relates to apparatus for foldingcorrugated cardboard shields for packing cases.

The invention is more particularly concerned with apparatus for foldingpro-scored sheets of cardboard in the provision of shields for use inpacking cases.

The invention is particularly characterized in relatively simpleapparatus adapted to be used on a work bench or other suitable support,and which is readily adjustable for different size shields as well asfor diiferent size folds.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of apparatus forfolding scored sheets of cardboard and wherein the apparatus includes apair of members rotatable about adjustable axes and wherein the oppositeends of a sheet of scored cardboard are initially folded about saidmembers, after which the members are rotated about their axes in thecompletion of the folding operation.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent inthe course of the following detailed description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the folding apparatus in accordance with apreferred structural embodiment thereof.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view as observed from the left side of Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the apparatus with the left handportion thereof broken away for observation of certain interiorelements.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view as observed in the planeof line 4-4 on Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is an end view of one of the movable bearing blocks with thesupporting casing shown in section.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view as observed in the plane of line 6-6on Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view as observed in the plane of line 77on Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a more or less diagrammatic vertical sectional view showingsuccessive steps in the folding of a sheet of cardboard by the improvedapparatus.

Fig. 9 is an edge elevational view of a completed shield.

Referring" now in detail to the drawing, the improved apparatuscomprises an elongated casing 10 which is rectangular in cross sectionand whose forward vertical side wall is provided with a pair ofrelatively widely spaced elongated and horizontally aligned slots 11.

Disposed Within the casing 10 are a pair of bearing blocks 12 each ofwhich is provided with a pair of horizontal axis rollers 13 whichcontact the bottom wall of the casing and a pair of vertical axisrollers 14 at each end thereof and which contact the opposite verticalside walls of the casing, the said rollers 13 and 14 providing for easylongitudinal movement of the bearing blocks lengthwise of the casing.

A longitudinally slotted stop bar 15 is supported immediately beneaththe top wall of the casing at each end thereof for longitudinaladjustment by means of a wing nut bolt 16 which extends through saidwall and the slot in the bar.

States Patent 9 2,834,265 Patented May 13, 1958 'ice Each bearing block12 is provided with a longitudinal pin 17 projecting from its outer endand an elongated coil spring 18 has one end thereof secured to the pinand the opposite end thereof secured to the respective stop bar, as bymeans of an eye member 19, the spring yieldingly drawing the respectivebearing block into contact with the inner end of the respective stop bar15.

. From the above, it will be apparent that the two bearing blocks 12 aremaintained in engagement with the stop bars 15 in any longitudinalposition thereof. Each block 12 is provided with a transverse aperture20 in which is rotatably supported the inner end of a spindle 21extending through a slot 11 and whose outer end is connected to an endof an angle bar 22 which extends from and at right angles to the casing10.

Each of the two angle bars 22 constitute one side of a folding assemblywhose opposite side comprises a second angle bar 23 of less length thanangle bar 22. An elongated rectangular plate 24 has one edge thereofrigidly secured to each angle :bar 22 and a second similar plate 25 hasone edge thereof secured to each angle bar 23 and the adjacent edges ofthe plates are disposed in overlapping relation. The plates 24 areprovided with a plurality of socket head bolts 26 adjacent their freeedges and which bolts extend through elongated slots 27 in the plates25. The slot and bolt structure provides for lateral expansion of eachfolding assembly for variation of the widths of the folds in a sheet ofcardboard.

Furthermore, the slots 27 are disposed obliquely to the bars 22 and 23thereby making provision for the folding of different widths of sheetcardboard.

In order to stabilize the folding assemblies and prevent maladjustmentthereof, each assembly is provided with a pair of turn-buckles 28, oneadjacent each of the opposite ends of plates 24 and 25 and whichturnbuckles have their opposite ends secured to the angle bars 22 and23.

In Fig. 8 is illustrated the operation of the apparatus in the foldingof a sheet of corrugated cardboard C which is provided with spacedparallel fold defining score lines L.

With the folding assemblies disposed in such laterally spaced relationas to provide desired width folds, the assemblies are disposed on asheet of cardboard adjacent opposite ends thereof and the end portionsof the sheet outwardly of the assembly are folded over same, asindicated at the left in Fig. 8, and thereafter the two assemblies arerotated about the axes of spindles 21, as indicated by the arrows, witha resulting folded shields, as indicated in Fig. 9 and which may bereadily withdrawn from the assemblies in a direction outwardly of thecasing 10.

The springs 19 hold the bearing blocks 12 against the stop bars 15 witha resulting predetermined spacing of the folding assemblies.

Such assemblies may however be disposed at other positions, as isindicated by dotted lines to the left in Fig. 1, by correspondingadjustment of the stop bars 15.

Fig. 1 also discloses the left hand folding assembly in its rotatedfolding position in dotted lines.

Having set forth my invention in accordance with a preferred structuralembodiment thereof, what I claim and desire to secure by U. S. LettersPatent is:

1. An apparatus for folding sheets of cardboard comprising an elongatedcasing, said casing being rectangular in cross section and beingprovided with a pair of aligned slots, a pair of folding assembliesprojecting from said casing through said slots in spaced parallelrelation, a pair of bearing blocks disposed within the casing, means foradjusting said blocks lengthwise of the casing, said foldable assembliesbeing rotatably supported by spindles projecting in each of said blocks,said block adjusting means comprising a stop bar adjustably supportedwithin said casing adjacent each end thereof, and a springinterconnecting each bearing block and stop bar whereby the bear- 3 ingblocks engage the stop bars in any adjusted position thereof.

2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein each of. said foldingassemblies further include an elongated angle bar having one end thereofrigidly secured to a spindle, a second angle bar disposed in parallelrelation to said first angle bar, a pair of elongated rectangular plateshaving opposed edges thereof secured to said angle bars and having theiradjacent free edges in'overlapping relation, and adjustable meanssupported by said plates for varying the spacing of said angle bars.

3. The structure according to claim 2, wherein said adjustable meanscomprise a plurality of elongated slots in 4 one of said plates disposedat an angle to the length thereof, and a plurality of socket head boltssupported by the other plate and extending through said slots.

4. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said blocks are providedwith rollers engaging the bottom and opposite side walls of said casingfor facilitating movement of the !blocks in said casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,580,846 Sayre et al. Ian. 1, 1952

